Is the F-22 safe to fly? “I’m not comfortable answering that question,” Gordon responds. “I’m not comfortable flying in the F-22 right now.” Hypoxia – a lack of oxygen that has persisted in the F-22 despite vain Air Force probes to figure out why – is dangerous. “The onset,” Gordon says, “is insidious.”

Wilson tells Lesley Stahl of his dogfight against hypoxia during an F-22 flight last year. “It was…kind of a surreal experience,” he says, taking “immense concentration” to perform simple tasks. Pulling an emergency oxygen ring proved daunting: “I couldn’t find it. I couldn’t remember what part of the aircraft it was in.”

The Air Force bought 179 F-22s for more than $400 million apiece and they never flew during Iraq, Libya, or Afghanistan.

The Raptors were officially grounded while experts looked for the source of the breathing problems and since being returned to service seven months ago, pilots have reported 11 additional cases of hypoxia.